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- "Pollock"
(Reviewed December 10, 2000)
- Ed Harris directed and stars in this cheerless bio of abstract expressionist painter Jackson Pollock (aka "Jack the Dripper," although that nickname surprisingly never appears in the
film). Boy, is this ever a depressing slog. If the movie's portrayal of its subject is accurate (I admit it, I'm too lazy to do any research this time around--hell, I practically wrote a term paper on the Marquis
de Sade in my "Quills" review, give me a break), Pollock was a neurotic, zombie-like, occasionally violent alcoholic. I would like to think that the poor bastard had at least a little more joy in his life than we
see here, or at least that he might have changed his facial expression now and then. (Harris spends 95 percent of the movie with a mug as blank as a member of Blue Man Group.)
Marcia Gay Hayden plays Pollock's lover/wife/main support system Lee Krasner, with a Brooklyn accent so thick you could schmear it on a bagel. Spends much time calling him simply "Pollock." Puts up
with an awful lot of abuse. No joy here, either.
The jaw-droppingly beautiful Jennifer Connelly pops up in a role very near the end of the movie, but even her lovely presence doesn't bring a smile to Harris' stone face. Pollock definitely not a happy guy.
A brief aside: The most shocking thing about this movie was seeing supporting actor Bud Cort (teenaged Harold of "Harold and Maude") looking like a tubby, balding, middle-aged man. Yikes!
Where does the time go?
This is not really a bad film, but it is no day at the beach, even when it is about a day at the beach. Don't go expecting to witness the uplifting spirit of artistic inspiration and noble creation at work, in other
words. This guy's life was a bigger mess than his artwork, and that's saying something.
Back Row Grade: C-
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